Why do musicians like the Feldenkrais Method?

By Aliza Stewart, GCFP

The Feldenkrais Method supplies musicians with the missing links that allow them to make the leap from good playing to remarkable playing. These missing links are self-awareness and effective movement patterns at the instrument.

Dr Feldenkrais said that in order to do what you want to do physically, you have to understand what you’re already doing that gets in the way. He developed movement “lessons” which shine light and potency into the “blind spots” of our self-understanding. These gentle but enormously effective lessons, create new neural pathways to make everything easier. They help musicians take the pain, effort and sense of limitation out of making music.

Seth Knopp, musical director of the Yellow Barn Music School and Festival, discusses Aliza Stewart’s work with musicians:

“At the Yellow Barn Music School and Festival Aliza Stewart became something of a phenomena. Her deep knowledge of the Feldenkrais Method and her remarkable instincts for reading a musician physical tendencies made her constantly in demand.“A musician in her own right, she is not only a practitioner capable of preventing and healing pain, but a partner in a search for greater freedom in how one makes music”.